Good health at work, as simple as A, B, C, D!

Monday 23 July, 2012

With research showing that up to one-third of Australians are vitamin D deficient,  SunSmart is delighted to launch a new, free online education resource to help Victorian indoor workers maintain vitamin D levels, strong bones and overall health all year round.

SunSmart Manager, Jen Makin, said this online tool and workplace education can go a long way towards creating a healthy and productive workforce.

"By educating staff, supervisors and health and safety representatives, organisations can support their employees in making informed healthy choices about sun exposure delivering tangible health benefits.

"Working indoors - a SunSmart balance for vitamin D and skin cancer protection  is the first course available on Cancer Council's eLearning platform. The course is designed to help Victorian indoor workers understand how much sun is enough for vitamin D and how much will increase skin cancer risk . Aimed primarily at indoor workers, it is designed to support the health and wellbeing of the workforce. The course can be included in organisational Occupational Health & Safety or Health & Wellbeing programs."

The sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation  is the major cause of skin cancer and the best source of vitamin D, essential for strong bones and overall health. It is important to maintain vitamin D levels all year round.

As Victoria's UV levels are low from May to August each year, working indoors for much of the week can put indoor workers at risk of low vitamin D. During the rest of the year, high recreational sun exposure on sunny weekends or summer holidays can increase their risk of skin cancer.

Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. Each year almost 1,900 Australians die from this almost entirely preventable disease.

"This free resource is easy to access, interesting, informative and benefits employers and employees alike. It is available now at elearning.cancer.org.au ."

SunSmart also offers tailored, face-to-face education sessions for outdoor workers to Victorian workplaces about working safely in the sun.

For more information or to book a session, visit the SunSmart website sunsmart.com.au or call (03) 9514 6100.